Latch for gates



Mar. 6, 1923. 1,447,705

J. ANDERSON LATCH FOR GATES Filed Feb. 18, 1922 Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

nurran s'ra J'OHN'AN'DEBSON, OF IVIASSBACH, TLLINOIS.

LATCH roe earns.

Application filed February 18, 1922. Serial No. 537,558.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, JOHN ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Massbach, in the county of J o Daviess and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings. j

It is the purpose of the present invention to, provide anrimproved, simple and practical latch mechanism for usein connection with various gates, such as those usedon a garden fence, or at a roadway, or used in farm yards, and especiallyall gates capable of swinging in either direction.

Another purpose is the provision of a latch so applied to agate swinging in either direction, including means, whereby the latch mechanism may be actuated by an operator on horseback, without the rider dismounting. a

A still further latch mechanism, which comprises a plurality of latch members interconnected, so that by the actuation of a single member on either side of the gate,or at a point-above the gate, all the latch members may be actuated simultaneously. The latch mechanism herein shown and descr'ibed simply necessi tates the pressure of the hand of the operator 'upon the single connecting member, oneither side of the gate or at the'top, to actuate the mechanism, and after passing through the gate opening, the gate may be swung to a closed position, in which case the latch members of the mechanism will automatically lock.

Still another purpose is the provision of means for mounting the latch members so that they can freely oscillate to latched or unlatched positions. The journals for the latch members are clamped securely in position by means of screws or similar devices, so as to remain stationary with respect to the latch members.

A further purpose is the provision of a latch mechanism wherein a plurality of latch members are employed including a connecting actuating element between the parts, and adjustable relatively thereto, whereby the latch mechanism may be applied to gates of different heights, without any change in the construction, but simply involving the adjustment of the connecting element.

While the design and construction at pres- Latches for i and purpose is to provide a 4 ent illustrated and set forth are deemed preferable, itis obvious that as 'a'result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible of changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided they are "comprehended Within the scope of what is claimed. he invention comprises further features combinationof parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings t Figure 1 isa view in side elevation of a gate, showing the improved latch mechanlsm applied;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, also showing the latch mechanism; 7

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View on line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the latch mechanism removed; and Figure '5 is a detail view of a portion of the end edge of thegate showing one of the plates 13.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a gate, which may be used either as a garden gate, road gate ora gate-belonging to a stock yard, and 2 denotes a post on which the ate is hingedly swung as at 3. Carried liy a post 4 are keeper members 5, each of which comprisesa plate provided with an offset portion 6 laving a notch 7. The upper edge of the offset portion is inclined from either end of the offset portion upwardly and inwardly. The center of the oflset portion has the notch 7, and by means of the inclined edges, it is obvious that the latch member may be cammed in engagement with the notch.

Carried by the free end of the gate a plurality of journals 8, which are fastened to the perpendicular bar of the gate, by means of screws, bolts or the like 9. Latch members 10 are pivotally mounted upon the journals, and since the heads of the screws are tightened securely against the ends of the journals, the journals are held stationary, while the latch members are free to oscillate. The ends 11 of the,latch members are guided in slots 12 of the plates 13. which are secured to the end edge of the gate.

A perpendicular actuating rod 14 is provided and has adjustable thereon a plurality of collars 15. These collars 15 are held adtion axially ,with relation to the justable on the rod by means ofthe set bolts 16. Projecting from the collars15 are studs 17, which are reduced and shouldered and are journaled in the ends 18 of the latch members, there being cottei pins 19' passing through the reduced ends of the studs to hold the studs connected to the latch members. The center stud, has its reduced ,por-.

tion longer than the reduced portions of the other studs, ,so as to extend ,on'. one side of .the gate to constitute ,ahandle-QO. The

collar, which carries, the centerst-ud has an extra studprojecting in the OPPOSltQClllBC- first stud, thereby constituting a second handle 21. By, urging pressureupon either one of these "handles, the connectingrod may be moved downwardly, thereby caus ng the latch mem bers to t-ilt, thusraising the free ends of; the latch -members out of engagem hanis ca z applie io ga es of difv ferent heights. Fastened yto the end edge of th'e ga'te by means-of screws 22is a leaf spring, 23, which engages ;un der one end of one ofthe latch members and constitutes means to hold thefree ends of the latch members I in engagement with the 7 notches, forthe purpose of holding the gate latched.

The perpendicular actuating rod 14 is of substantial length, andis designed to extend above the upper-edge of v the gate, and mounted upon this rod is a detachablehandie 24. This handle24.hasdevicesflii for detachably connecting 7 said handle to 4 the dating rod, latch. v i

The inyentionhavingbeen set orth,\vhat .W th a pl rali I ably carried by; Q end of said actuator,

rod. Obviously this handle 24 may be adjusted to any position along the rod, and furthermore itis preferablyused at the upper end of the rod, so as to be readily grasped by :anoperator on horseback, in

order to open the gate without the rider dismounting. The several latches may be locked hyadjusting the two lower collars 15 of the two lower latches downward on the actuating rod 14c, while tl 1e upper latch the thumb i screws 16; of the lower, collars 15 may be tightened. Theuspring 23 will tend to hold the upper latchin engagement with the keeper .while the keeper engaging ends of the two lower latches will contact with the upper ends of. i the sliots 12 of l the two lower plates 13, which are secured to the swinging closure or gate, which v.will prevent any downward movement of the factuin. order to unlock the upper is claimed,is: V

The combination ;with a support provide'd of keepers, ,of a, swinging closure 3 to operate in either direction past said support, a plurality 3 of; latch members pivotally supported upon the, closure ,and

' adapted to s multaneously: and automatically and operatively engage with vsaid keepers, when the closure swings to closed poslt on from e ther: side, tenslon ng means ,for said latch members, a singlegactuator adjust ly an a p atively. connec i g said latch members,

and a handle carried by. said an additional handle ustconn ete to. th uppe whe eby. a ride m y operate the actuator, without dismounting.

I testimo y wh re I her unto ,afiix my signature. t

JQHNANDERSQN- actu tor, and

remains in engagementwithits keeper, then 

